IT'S MY BLOG AND I'LL POST WHAT I WANT! (or is that selfish?)

Is there such a thing as good selfishness? Then again if it is beneficial is it selfish?

Saint Charles Borromeo (who feast day it is today – patron of our minor seminary here in Cleveland – say a prayer for the boys) said in a sermon given at the last synod he attended and which is found in today’s Liturgy of the Hours, “Are you in charge of a parish? If so, do not neglect the parish of your own soul, do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself. You have to be mindful of your people without becoming forgetful of yourself.”

He wisely points out that if you give yourself completely away, you become no good to anyone and end up causing more harm than good. Perhaps it is actually an act of selfishness to think, “I must do it all. Nobody else can. If I don’t do it, it won’t be done (well, right, quickly, or at all.)” In reality if you don’t do it, perhaps the Church will still survive, perhaps the world will not end, perhaps souls will still get into heaven, and perhaps you will live to work another day.

This is a message for all. Everyone can find themselves in this role. Most devastatingly I see it among well intentioned people who dedicate themselves to the care of a very sick loved one. This is very high and noble thing to do. It is an act of mercy. It is one of those things that Christ calls His sheep to do in order to enter into heaven. And sometimes there is no choice but for a person to work themselves into the ground because there simply is no other help.

But, way too often, perhaps because of an over developed sense of responsibility, or guilt, or love, or wanting to please God, or even to look good or just a fear not too, the well person spends themselves so deeply in the care of the sick person that they end up dead long before the sick person does. After all the sick person receives care, but rarely does anyone take care of the caregiver.

Caretakers: TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! It is not selfishness to make sure that you don’t end up not being able to take care of the persons you love. It is not weakness to reach out to others. It is not cruel to admit that you are in over your head. Are you responsible for another’s health? Do not neglect the health of your own soul, do not give yourself to another so completely that you have nothing left for yourself. You must be mindful of the other person without forgetting yourself lest you find yourself with nothing left to give and in need yourself.

I WORRY THAT READING THIS COULD BE A WASTE OF MY TIME

This post had been on my mind for a while and I keep putting it off thinking that it doesn’t pertain to very wide audience. But since it keeps dogging me I put it out there. Perhaps it is that someone needs to hear it.

Don’t judge tomorrow by who you are today. This is said particularly for those who imagine the worse. Once when I was very young my mother heard me crying in bed. She came and asked me what was wrong. I was really quite upset that by the time I grew up there would be no land left for me to build a house. (A passion of mine even from that age was to be an architect.) She assured me that even as buildings are built others are torn down to make room for me to build my house.

That being said, today I have no desire to build, maintain, clean, mow, clear gutters, pay taxes for even my dream house. Living in a rectory and taking care of a parish is more than enough for me.

That might seem silly but take the case of my father. When he started heading into Alzheimer’s he started to fret that we would put him in a nursing home. Being a man that enjoyed sports and activity well into his 80s at a rate enviable to a 30 year old, this seemed like death to him. He threatened bodily harm to himself if we even thought of doing such a thing to him. We had no intention of doing so at that point but he feared it almost as much as death itself – maybe more so.

By the time it was necessary for him to go to a nursing home he took to it rather well. Living at home became far too stressful and he was miserable, lonely, and felt out of control. Granted it was an excellent nursing home and his care was over the top, but he actually (as much as he could) liked it. By that time he was ready for it. But he had wasted valuable life time worrying about the day he would end up there.

A life change might seem like a horrible thing for who you are today. But you might not be the same person a year or ten from now and something that seemed distasteful at 18 (say settling down with a family, job, and going to First Communion meetings) might seem like the best life imaginable when you are going to your grandchild’s First Communion.

Live today. Think about tomorrow and have a plan, but don’t fret. Too many things can change and that which you feared may become your salvation. Maybe instead of envisioning the worst, trying wasting time envisioning the best.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CLXLVII

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: “People forget that it took John Vianney ten years to turn that parish about.” Fr. Gene Fulton.

QUOTE II: “Faith is not the selection of a program that is to my liking or a joining of a club of friends in which I feel understood but is a conversion that transforms me and my tastes along with it, or at least makes my taste and my wishes take second place.” from Pope Benedict XIV “Called to Communion”

IN OTHER NEWS:

For a nice read about this All Souls Day go here to the Crossroads Initiative. There is also a link at the end of the article to the Council of Trent's decree on Purgatory.

Fr. Kraker sent over Vinney's costume for Sebastian to wear in the Halloween Parade. Here is a picture and public thank you from Sebastian to Fr. Kraker!

Fr. D. sent this article "Tobacco and the Soul" in from First Things. It is a commentary about smoking. I imagine many will not find it very edifying but I think it great. No - I do not endorse smoking. Thanks D!

Less controversial is this from Debra: "An inspirational new Christian film is premiering right here in Akron, Ohio, on November 17, 2010, at the Akron Civic Theatre! More than Chance is based on the true story of 10-year-old Kelsey Minick, placed in a Russian orphanage by a mother who could not afford to raise her and adopted by an American couple at age two. When her adoptive father severs her spine in a fit of rage, Kelsey becomes a paraplegic. But in an uplifting turn of events, Kelsey is adopted by a second American family who provides the love and support she needs to not only learn to trust God and adjust to her new life, but also to inspire others with her sunny disposition and positive outlook." For more information and a peek at the trailer go here.

Fr. D also sent in this video. I kept waiting for something rotten or silly to happen but it just is what it is. (2:27) It is entitle Benevolence.



I may have posted this once before but I don't remember. Lynn sent this in for all men to a vocation of marriage and family. (2:50) Thanks!



Patrick writes in, "You do not want to miss one of the largest Catholic events ever on The University of Akron Campus! We cannot stress enough how important it is to support these young Catholic students on a secular University." For more information look here. If you can keep the conference and all who are involved in your prayers.

MONDAY DIARY: TAG SALE - YOU'RE IT!

Every once in a while there is an estate sale in our neighborhood. I like to go not because I need anything (because I don’t) but because I enjoy seeing the architecture of some of the houses around here. There was an interesting tag sale this past Saturday. As you may be aware from reading this blog, about a year ago Saint Mary parish and St. Bernard parish combined to become St. Bernard – St. Mary Parish. Bringing these grand institutions together meant that there was some redundancy in “things” and so there was to be a tag sale at both rectories on Saturday.

Friday night I was at a bon-fire with a number of Akron priests when this was announced. Saturday was scheduled to be a busy day but there was some time later in the afternoon when I could sneak away. I wasn’t so interested in “stuff” as I was to see the places anyway.

St. Bernard was my first stop. The rectory had obviously once been rather grand with wonderful woodwork, soaring ceilings, stained glass windows, and spacious rooms. Over time it became rather tired looking and much of the woodwork had been painted over and is now pealing. Random pieces of furniture filled the rooms. If you were going to buy a house, this would be the place you looked at and thought, “Wow! With some work (and cash) this could be a really nice place in which to live!”

Fortunately there was nothing I wanted to buy. That is always a danger in such places. The things that would have interested me were not for sale. They were selling were things one would find at most yard sales; incomplete sets of flatware, the odd glasses, a mismatched chair.

A quick drive out to the Saint Mary proved to be much the same wares. That rectory was in the school building. I had never been through much of the rectory. It seemed like it might be a bit trying at times and reminds me to be less critical of my living arrangements. Out the back door of the kitchen put you in the main hallway of the school. Could you imagine hearing all those feet and chairs scraping over your head all day long?

There were people there who used to be employed there and they put on a cheery face though I know it must have been difficult. It was for me when we broke up the family house after Grandma and Grandpa died. I remember getting the key from my Dad and just sitting in the house remembering everything that took place there. I have happy memories though I cannot go back. I made that mistake once and the people living there currently take very poor care of the house. The grand front porch is starting to fall off and the screen door is smashed. Fortunately these rectories seem as though they will be treated much better.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: MORE CROSSES TO BEAR

There are more Catholics in the world than Roman Catholics. There are a number of Churches of the east in full union with Rome one of which being the Maronites. St. Maron lived the ascetic life and others came to follow his way of life. They were persecuted and took refuge in the mountains of Lebanon. The association with Lebanon remains to this day and in fact there are a few Maronite parishes in the Diocese of Cleveland with at least a good portion of their congregations of Lebanese background. This cross is most associated with this part of the Church.

The three cross bars represent the “INRI” proclamation, the cross bar on which our Savior’s hands were nailed, and even though it is squished up high and is proportionately unusually long is the “foot rest.” Other symbolism suggests that they represent the Trinity as well as the union of bishops, patriarchs, and the pope.

KNOWING WHAT IT IS MAKES IT EASIER TO LIVE

Here is a quick lesson in humility:

Three men each have $10. The first man brags about how much money he has. The second man says, “Oh, I am so broke! I barely have two nickels to rub together.” The third man is very blunt. “I have $10. $2 are accounted for so I have $8 to spend.”

The three men each went out with friends. The man who bragged how much money he had got himself into a scrape. He and his friends spent more than they had and they were mad at him for making it sound like they need not worry. “He who exalts Himself shall be humbled.”

The second man went out with his friends. They drank water and ordered the cheapest things they could because they knew they would have to pay for him also since he claimed to be broke. When they found out he was flush they were mad at him for being a cheap skate and bumming off of them.

The man who was humble about his finances, humility meaning living in truth, always enjoyed the company of good friends even if he was a bit blunt at times because he was trustworthy, always fulfilled what he promised, didn’t offer more than he could do nor did he hide anything forcing others to take on more responsibility. He was happier too for he did not need to work in order to maintain a false façade of greatness or lowliness.

Humility is nothing more than living truth.

HOME SWEET OFFICE

It’s been hard trying to figure out a way to write this post without sounding like I am whining.

Probably because I am whining.

During the priestly convocation at one of the breakout sessions it was stated that, according to a recent survey of priests in the United States, if given a choice, 73% of all priests would like a change in their living situation.

That’s a high number. Almost 3 out 4 priests have some sort of qualm with where they are living.

One of the reasons is rectories often feel like train stations. Built in the earlier part of the last century they fit the needs of the day. There was an office for the secretary, and office for the pastor, and often a shared office for the remaining clergy to use when necessary.

Then things got complicated. Ministries got complicated. Money matters got complicated. Now there needs to be an office for a business manager, a director of religious education, a youth minister, a deacon or two, an assistant office manager, a bookkeeper, and depending where you are the list can go on a bit longer not to mention that now every priest in the house needs an office – their jobs becoming more complicated and needing such a space in which to work.

The problem is that as staffs grew, by and large buildings stayed the same. At one time just past the customary three offices there was a sign that said, ‘PRIVATE.” Past that door were the living quarters of the priests. In many places, perhaps most, the “PRIVATE” sign has been taken down and offices have moved well into the heart of the house.

At my first assignment (they have since made other arrangements) down the main corridor of the house, one side of the hallway was offices and the other side living space. It made having a “day off” extremely difficult. At the end of my first year as a priest I realized that I had forgotten to take a vacation. Being a priest was rather exciting I did not feel a need to be away. But if you do not use the time it disappears and so I decided just to take some time off one week and catch up on reading, not care too much about my appearance, and relax. It was impossible. First of all from early in the morning until late at night there are people in your house, in your kitchen (which they need to be!) and generally walking about. After two days of people saying, “I know it’s your week off but since you are here . . .” I gave up on the idea, cleaned up and went back to work. This is one reason priests disappear for days off and vacations. They are escaping their house. It is also why many buy second houses together. Where else can you relax? I remember coming home at 9PM and seeing the DRE’s light on and the car in the parking lot and thinking, “Would you PLEASE go to your own home!”

My first pastor told me one morning that he was moving an office up across from room on the second floor. We were tight on office space. That would mean the only privacy I could be sure of was if I kept my door shut and locked. So I calmly told the pastor, “You are the pastor. We will do whatever you want and I will back you. But I want you to know that if you move an office upstairs I will be moving out of the house.” It was a hollow threat but he didn’t know it.

I now live in a fantastic house. (For full disclosure - a VERY nice house.) It is riddled with offices and it makes living difficult sometimes. Today is my day away. I realized that the dog needed breakfast and so I got up, put on a bathrobe, crept down the hall, peeked around the corner, didn’t see anyone, ran to his feeding place hoping that no one would start a conversation at the stairs and block my retreat, and snuck back.

I do love it here. But the priests that visit always comment, “Nice place but I bet it’s difficult to live here.” Our bishop made mention that younger men are being sent as pastors to places because no one is applying to many places. The living situation may be one reason why. (And why I am so fortunate to be at Saint Sebastian.) Not that I would change it. For me, for now, it is Okay. If I had enough money it would not go to offices but parking lots, roofs, fixing pews, doors, sidewalks, etc., etc., etc. There is always something else needed.

So back to the thought this is a long whine. It is. Walking through Snyder Park with the dog I was told today that it used to be an Asylum for the lost; people with mental disorders, sick, dying, people with no place to go and no family – all huddled together. Bet they would have liked a change. There are bridges and woods on the other side of town that one does not go through because people LIVE there.

Kind of puts things into perspective.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK: CLXLVI

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: “Unless you change and obtain the heart of a child, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” St. Matthew (sort of.)

QUOTE II: “I have the heart of a child – in a jar on my desk.” Stephen King (Happy almost Halloween)

IN OTHER NEWS:

Patrick writes in, "You do not want to miss one of the largest Catholic events ever on The University of Akron Campus! We cannot stress enough how important it is to support these young Catholic students on a secular University. Emmaus will be giving seven talks in two nights to reveal the Truth of the Catholic Church. In order to make this an annual event we need your full support. These kids are drastically outnumbered and belittled on a regular basis for being Catholic." For more information go here.

Yesterday this was sent in. It is an hour video of a talk given by Archbishop Raymond Burke. The Email states, "He talks about the philosophy of the Church, natural law, the dignity of man, and the times we are living in. It is a clear cut dissertation of what Catholics believe and how we are to live our faith in the world."

The Diocese of Cleveland Enewletter reports about a new exhibit at the Clevelad Museum of Art. "Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics, and Devotion in Medieval Europe offers visitors a unique glimpse of the Middle Ages, a time when art mediated between heaven and earth and wondrous objects filled churches and monastic treasuries. Relics - the physical remains of holy men and women, and things associated with them - were especially important to the development of Christianity, which emerged as a powerful new religion in the Late Roman world." For more information look here.

From the same source: "In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue. The responsibility to make political choices rests with each person and his or her properly formed conscience." For more on this look here.

The Society of the Divine Word USA has some games for you to play. WARNING: Addiction level LOW.

Just for Halloween: 8 minutes

MONDAY DIARY: DESIGNED TO SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY

This past week from Tuesday to Friday the priests (most of them anyway) of the Diocese of Cleveland got together for their semiannual convocation. Priests converge from all over the diocese to a large hotel for presentations, workshops, meetings with the bishop, and camaraderie, the last part probably being the most valuable. If left to our own devices we would see each other at an appallingly rare rate save for confession or Mass help. Therefore I find the social, the card game, or the swim as valuable as the workshop. As it was there was a mass exodus

You know what else is pretty cool? A couple of hundred priests getting together to celebrate Mass and hearing a tidal wave of men’s voices singing and making the responses. At the seminary it is a daily occurrence but one that is not often had elsewhere.

The talks were pretty good. They basically made the case that we need to do more if we want people to be excited about the faith. In a very rough one of the speakers as said, “It is not a matter of having two or three more ministries, but 50 or 60!”

That thought came back to me today when after the morning Mass a person stopped me and asked if I could hear his confession. My mind raced through the morning schedule – I have a half an hour to eat breakfast and walk the dog, then my first appointment will be here leading right into a meeting with a person from the diocese, and since our secretary is on vacation my letter for the bulletin must be written by noon. So I say, “Okay – but it has to be quick!”

What a rotten answer. What are we here for but to be dispensers of God’s mercy? But I say, “I’m sorry but I am busy” with my response. “What – do you have a breakfast appointment?” Well – sort of yes. I swear that if I hear of one more program that is going to save priests time and money I’ll boot the person out of the rectory – because they always take more time and more money – evidenced by the fact that I am giving the person 45 minutes of my time for him to tell me how he is going to save me time.

Wow – there was a rant I wasn’t expecting. Anyway . . .

In the middle of all this talk of all these new and, quite frankly, wonderful programs they were suggesting that we begin in order to keep Catholics practicing as Catholics should, no one made mention of doing what we do best save for one of our (great ) priests who stood up and said that we should make darn well sure that we are celebrating the sacraments to the best of our ability and being as orthodox as we know how. (Another rough quote taking from what he said more what I wanted to hear than what he actually said.)

I think it a rather mega-Church/Protestant idea that we need to attract people to Sunday services by making sure that we are providing other great services for people. Rather, (and this is subtle) it is the great and proper celebration of the sacraments that gives meaning to all these other groups. Now, it may be that having them will attract people to Mass, but that shouldn’t be our modus aperandi. Our goal is to get people excited about the faith through great homilies and worship so that they wish to express it somehow in a greater fashion in the rest of their lives and therefore these ministries flourish. It is tail wagging the dog that a club meeting should inspire someone to think, “Well, I better go to Mass too.” That will happen – but we shouldn’t count on it. Doing so will cause us to run our limited resources (space, volunteers, materials, time, funds) into a pit as we try to have a meeting for left-handed, shuffleboard playing Catholics over 6’3”.

Well, such were my thoughts as we gathered for a priestly social after the talk and everybody did the, “What did you think” thing.

In happier news: This Sunday was also our Oktoberfest (at the same time as the teen dance and the Chesterton Society and AA) I got out my button box and played with the band for a little bit. Of course I look a bit more Slovenian than German and the polkas we played were all Eastern European, but I don’t think anybody minded. Here is a picture of my get up.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CLXLV

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: “We divorce just as we are on the brink of greater love.” Fr. McNamera

QUOTE II: “The only satisfying desire you have is unsatisfying desire.” Fr. McNamera

QUOTE III: “Love’s like the measles: All the worse when it comes late in life.” Lady Holland

IN OTHER NEWS:

NOTICE: The priests of the Diocese of Cleveland are at a convocation with our bishop this week so I do not know that there will be any more posts until Monday. So if you come back and see nothing but this post for the rest of the week – you know why! If you wouldn’t mind – say a prayer for the priests of Cleveland.

A big, chilled stein of Oktoberfest Adam’s Ale to Vincenzo over at Sancte Pater who saved the Adam’s Ale header! I don’t understand these things but somehow it was damaged and he saved it for me. Thanks!

The next Chesterton meeting will be this coming Sunday. Check out the site to the right for details and readings.

I hope you had the chance to enjoy SCREWTAPE LETTERS. The place was quite packed.

If you are looking for a charity and a way to directly support vocations you might want to check out Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations. There are two trends facing vocations. One is that they are often later vocations than they were traditionally. (I did not go in into I was in my later 20s and I was in the middle of my class.) Secondly is that these later vocations are people who are often saddled with significant student loan debt and must pay them off before an order will accept them. This foundations helps them with that debt. In their last mailer there is a picture of (now) Sister Brigid Ancilla Marie, Sisters of Life, who was a member at my last assignment. She struggled to enter because of her debt. This organization assisted her and now she is a Sister of Life in New York.

Fr. O. sent this in: "I just wanted to give you a little "heads up" about a great little evening of reflection that is coming your way soon. St. Mary's in Hudson is sponsoring an evening entitled "Male and female he created them: What was God thinking?" This will take place on Sunday, October 24. The event begins with Mass at 5:30, followed by a presentation by two speakers at 6:45. My understanding is that the men will go to hear Fr. Larry Richards, and the women will go to hear Dr. Helen Alvare. Then you will come back together for a time of Eucharistic Adoration at 8:30. You can find a flyer for it here"

Frank sent this bowling game in. It's harder than it looks. WARNING: Addiction level MEDIUM.

Craig sent this 2.17 min. video in about the kids in the Newman Ministry at the University of Akron (5 minutes from Saint Sebastian.) "I just thought you might want to see what these kids are hungry for. This is an event they did in September. They begged for it to happen!" You will notice the beautiful interior of Saint Bernard St. Mary parish and a clip from the great preaching of Fr. Damian Ference, a professor at our seminary.

MONDAY DIARY: SOMETIMES LIFE STINKS

In the evening Sebastian is taken for his last airing out before it’s lights out at the rectory. Not only is it his last chance to stretch his legs, it allows the priests to survey the property and make sure lights are off and such. Last night we took our customary stroll and Sebastian took off which he is want to do from time to time – usually chasing a squirrel or a rabbit – when we heard one solitary bark. A single bark is unusual for him unless there are people involved – and he never barks just once.

We continue our turn around the church building and notice that the basements lights were left burning. It unnerves me because I think of Mrs. Magillacutty scraping a couple of dollars together to give to the Church and it is wasted by burning lights that nobody needs. As we head to the church Sebastian comes tearing past. “We should probably head in,” I say to Fr. Pf., “It smells as though there is a skunk in the neighborhood.”

In the basements of the church we start switching off lights when we notice the smell again. “It smells like the skunk is in the building,” we say looking at Sebastian who is sitting happily wagging his tail.

“Oh no.”

Luckily it is not bad at all. He must have just gotten the very edge of the spray and today it is even less noticeable. Hopefully dogs learn.

This past week I also had a chance to go back in time. St. Sebastian is partnering with the Magical Theater Company for a couple of projects. I worked with this company off and on for about 8 or 10 years. I hadn’t been in the theater building proper for about the past decade and half and Dennis and Holly who run the theater gave me a tour of my old stomping grounds.

We walked all through the nooks and crannies of the building that had been a combination job and clubhouse to me for so many years. I’d never experienced nostalgia quite like it before. The weirdest things sparked memories: A piece of sloppy masonry that I used to stare at every time I walked down the steps brought a spark of affection for the old building. Weird.

The building is almost exactly the same as it was all those years ago – and rather not. I searched in vain for something that was connected specifically to me. It is the very nature of theater – its transitory nature – that things evaporate never to be seen again. But still I was yearning to find something.

Then, in the basement, in the electric room, there was a sign, aged, curled, but still sticking to the wall – written in black and red magic marker and in surprisingly good penmanship (for me) – which read, “ATTENTION! Use no broom in this room! Sensitive electrical equipment!” And there it was! Evidence of me and a former life. It was enough! Thank goodness that tape lasted these few decades.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: HERE'S A STORY ABOUT ONE PATRIARCH AND TWO BARS

Similar to last week’s cross is the patriarchal cross. This cross is seen on the coats of arms of Eastern Rite Catholic patriarchs (bishops) and Orthodox patriarchs. This cross has two cross beams; the traditional one that we associate with the Cross and a shorter one nearer the top. There is actually some controversy about what exactly the upper beam represents.

You might be inclined to think it represents the plaque that Pilate inscribed and had nailed to the Cross. That is certainly one of the options. Others suggest that while the lower beams symbolizes Christ’s first visit to earth the second anticipates His Second Coming.

But it is interesting that this particular Cross was used in a patriarch’s coat of arms. “A third view,” reports the site seiyaku.com, “is that the first beam symbolises secular power and the second beam the ecclesiastic power of Byzantine emperors. In the 9th century, this was a political symbol used by Byzantine clerks and missionaries.” While in the west one would see what we consider a typcial processional cross behind the coat of arms of a bishop, behind the coat of arms of a patriarch one finds this cross.

ALLOW ME TO UNDER TAKE THAT FOR YOU

This is a short post today in hopes that you read it and remember it (tuck it away somewhere in your memory banks.)

Q: Do you know why undertakers are called undertakers?

A: Because they under take many things for the family so that they do not have to worry about it.

You have plenty to worry about and take care of when a loved one dies. We pay people in this noble profession which is one of the corporal acts of charity to assist us by taking some of the cares out of our hands. Being dead may not be complicated in the least – but being a person responsible for someone who has died is extremely complicated.

I hope this is the case where you are and it is certainly the case in at least every part of the Diocese of Cleveland with which I am familiar. Your undertaker (a name that has unfortunately been dropped but is of infinite value in understanding what this person does) will (or should) contact the parish for you and settle the Mass times and etc. Often they will also have materials on hand to help you make some decisions about the Mass so ask. From that point there might need to be some direct contact with the parish to set an appointment if discussion needs to be had about certain details.

There has been a rash of people of late who seem to understand this less and less and burying someone you love is (hopefully) a rare occurrence so I hope that this helps.

WORKING TITLE

Poor Fr. Pf. When I read the morning paper and see an editorial about the Church that is misleading, misinformed, or downright wrong, he had to hear about it. So in order to spare him my AM grumblings I thought to start a new occasional feature that will correct or broaden the view of editorials concerning the Church when they appear. The problem is finding the right name for this feature:

Ecclesial Editorial Editing?

Contra Imbicilos?

Rant: Counter Rant?

Any ideas?

Les Johnson writes in the Akron Beacon Journal about the closings of parishes in the Diocese of Cleveland. His hurt and disappointment at the closings are more than evident and understandable and there are many points in his letter that are worth debating.

That being said this is the second time in as many weeks that the word infallibility has been attached to the name of the bishop. There is no teaching whatsoever that a bishop can exercise infallibility. In fact, it is only on the rarest of occasions that the pope speaks infallibly. Readers of this blog may know and understand that but others more ignorant of Catholic culture and teaching may not get it and that only make the discussion more difficult. I think what Mr. Johnson wants to say that we have a bishop with a strong belief that what he is doing for the diocese is for the best of the diocese and in that he does not bend easily from the determined course of action. He would like it otherwise.

Further he says that our bishop comes from a different state to impose himself on us. It is almost always the case that a bishop comes from “someplace else.” There are just as many problems but of a different category when you have bishop ordained from within the local presbyterate. Where a bishop comes from is not an issue, it is rather can this particular man come to know, understand, love and lead this people and do what is best for them?

The good point in his article and one of grave concern is what happens when you are in your 80s and your local parish closes? It is one thing to say, “Well, go to the next church.” It is quite another to be elderly, of poor health, and not only having to go to the next parish (if you can) but also registering, getting to know different people and schedules, and learning the ropes of a new place. (That’s MY pew!)This can be quite difficult and intimidating even for a younger person in good health.

On the other hand, when should a parish close? Some group of persons will always be in the twilight of their years when a church closes. It will always be difficult for someone.

So, the constructive aspects of Mr. Johnson’s letter are, 1) Is the process we have in place too inflexible or not? 2) Does our leadership really understand what is best for the diocese? And 3) What should be done to help those who have difficulties leaving their home let alone finding a new parish and registering etc?

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CLXLIV

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: “Persecutions always strengthen the Church. Ex-Catholics in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War were vicious enemies of the Church. Even Hitler had been baptized a Catholic. Yet they hated the Church and tried to destroy her. They are gone; the Church has survived.

“Like the Nazis and Bolsheviks and all the others, the present gaggle of anti-Catholic writers will fade away. They will go over the waterfall of history and the Church will still be there – and praying for them.” Benedict Groeschel C.F.R. in Priest Magazine

QUOTE II: “As one Protestant minister, now a convert, once said, any theological problem he ever thought of as a Protestant trying to grind it out by reading the Bible, he found out, when he became Catholic, that the Pope had been well aware of that problem and had answered it centuries ago.......” Anon.

IN OTHER NEWS:

2 minute video:



Among others here is a picture of St. Sebastian folks participating in Life Chain.

The Ruth Institute has this one question "quiz" about teens and sexting. It is obviously a way for them to get your Email address but that might not be so bad. If you are interesed here it is.

C.K. has put together an extremely intresting blog called, "Dear Penn." - though it is not quite finished yet - there are a couple of things she wishes to tighten up. But I highly recommend it just the same! Go here to see it.

M.B. sent this 9 minute video in. Very interesting indeed!

SCREWTAPE UPDATE: Sorry this is getting to you so late. I know some of you will be attending on Friday but Fr. Pf. and I have a previous engagement. We will be attending on Saturday and getting there just in a nick of time! If you are going to be there on Saturday please send a note and we will try to say he afterwards.